1 CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY CLIMATE ACTION PLAN 2012

CREIGHTON UNIVERSITYClimate Action PlanOctober 2012

Prepared for Creighton University by

Creighton University would like to acknowledge the following individuals for their time and expertise in contributing to this report:

The Catholic Coalition on Climate Change Rev. John P. Schlegel, S.J. Richard Miller, Ph.D. Creighton University Sustainability Council

1 Introduction and Background...............................................................................61.1 Sustainability and the Jesuit Mission..............................................................61.2 Why Address Climate Change........................................................................6

1.2.1 The Science...............................................................................................61.2.2 Justice for All.............................................................................................61.2.3 Cost-Effectiveness.....................................................................................6

1.3 Creighton’s Commitment to Climate Neutrality and Sustainability.................71.3.1 American College and University President’s Climate Commitment..........71.3.2 Other Sustainability Initiatives..................................................................7

2 The Climate Action Planning Process....................................................................82.1 Greenhouse Gas Inventory.............................................................................82.2 Mission and Vision..........................................................................................82.3 Organizational Development..........................................................................82.4 Sustainability in the Curriculum.....................................................................82.5 Emission Reduction Strategies and Scenario Planning...................................82.6 Implementation and Continuous Improvement..............................................8

3 Greenhouse Gas Inventory...................................................................................93.1 Baseline Results.............................................................................................93.2 Forecast.......................................................................................................11

4 Mission and Vision..............................................................................................124.1 Current Mission and Vision...........................................................................124.2 Integrating Sustainability.............................................................................12

5 Sustainability in the Curriculum..........................................................................145.1 Student On-Boarding....................................................................................14

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

5.2 Curriculum...................................................................................................145.3 Sustainability Institute.................................................................................14

6 Emission Reduction Strategies and Scenario Planning........................................156.1 Scenarios.....................................................................................................156.2 Results Summary.........................................................................................166.3 Emission Reduction Strategies.....................................................................19

6.3.1 Energy.....................................................................................................196.3.2 Transportation.........................................................................................236.3.3 Other.......................................................................................................24

7 Implementing the CAP........................................................................................257.1 Organizational Development........................................................................257.2 Implementation and Continuous Improvement............................................26

7.2.1 Plan.........................................................................................................267.2.2 Do...........................................................................................................267.2.3 Check......................................................................................................287.2.4 Act...........................................................................................................28

7.3 Financing the Plan........................................................................................28

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1 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND 1.1 Sustainability and the Catholic, Jesuit MissionThe Catholic Church has supported environmental stewardship for decades. Pope John Paul II issued a World Day of Peace message, Ecological Responsibility, in 1990. The U.S. Bishops wrote Renewing the Earth: An Invitation to Reflection and Action on Environment in Light of Catholic Social Teaching in 1991 and followed that with Global Climate Change: A Plea for Dialogue, Prudence and the Common Good in 2001.Building on this, the Catholic Coalition on Climate Change was developed in 2006; it is comprised of over a dozen national Catholic organizations and focuses on exploring issues and faith implications of climate change. According to this group, the Catholic vision “emphasizes the pursuit of the common good, promotion of the virtue of prudence and the protection of the poorest of our brothers and sisters already suffering disproportionate impacts from climate change.”A group of Catholic Associations, including the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities, convened to develop a document to help Catholic colleges and universities integrate their mission with the call for environmental stewardship and concern for the poor. That document, Sustainability and Higher Education: A Toolkit for Mission Integration, was released in 2011 and cited Creighton as an example in two instances.The Jesuits are, of course, a part of the call to preserve the environment, and by extension, the creation and the poorest populations. The 32nd General Congregation of the Society of Jesus (G.C. 32, Decree.4, #37, 1974) maintained that the Jesuits’ mission was not only about the service of faith, but also the promotion of justice.  Ecology is now, as a result of the most recent Jesuit Congregation (G.C. 35, Decree 3, #35, 2008), recognized as integral to this mission, and it is considered of particular importance for Jesuit “universities and research centres”.  In 2010, the Society of Jesus established the Task Force on Jesuit Mission and Ecology. This task force produced a document titled “Healing a Broken World”, which examines the environmental situation through an Ignatian lens and offers concrete suggestions for Jesuit universities to respond to the challenges presented.

1.2 Why Address Climate Change

1.2.1 The ScienceClimate change refers to the wide range of impacts resulting from the increase in accumulated concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere as a result of human activity, primarily the combustion of fossil fuels and deforestation.1,2

1 US National Academy of Science, Advancing the Science of Climate Change, 2010, pp. 21-22 http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=12782&page=21

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Climate change is one of the most urgent problems for sustaining earth’s life support system. Indeed, a recent synthesis paper from some of the most distinguished climate and environmental scientists in the world concluded:  “In the face of an absolutely unprecedented emergency, society has no choice but to take dramatic action to avert a collapse of civilization.  Either we will change our ways and build an entirely new kind of global society, or they will be changed for us.” 

Some GHG Reduction Co-Benefits

Support local businesses and stimulate economic development

Reduce government, home, and business energy and operational costs

Reduce dependence on foreign fuel sources

Reduce vulnerability to energy price increases and supply volatility

Diversify energy supply and reduce loads on transmission systems

Reduce air pollution emissions, including ozone precursors and fine particles

Improve public health through increased exercise and nutritious foods

Reduce waste and increase landfill diversion rates

Reduce vehicle miles traveled and traffic congestion

Reduce water consumption in the community and impacts on water bodies and riparian habitats

Provide opportunities for regional, state, and national leadership and recognition

Improve quality of life through preservation of urban forests, reduced commuting times, and increased access to nature and open space

Improve educational opportunities

Globally, the impacts of climate change include changes in temperature, precipitation, sea level, ice melt, frequency and severity of storms, and changes to species and habitats, which ultimately affect human health and economies. Specifically, Nebraska and the Omaha region are expected to see increases in temperature, particularly during summer months, as well as moderate increases in spring and winter precipitation as a result of global climate change. In addition to minimizing the impact of climate change, reducing carbon emissions has many additional benefits. These include, but are not limited to, improved air quality, lower rates of respiratory disorders such as asthma, less susceptibility to volatile energy costs, reduced vulnerability to federal and state energy regulations,

2 http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=12782&page=2

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and water security. Protecting the climate also minimizes a range of potential impacts, such as extreme weather events, insect outbreaks, climate-sensitive diseases, and agricultural impacts to which response or adaptation could be very costly.

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1.2.2 Justice for All

“At its core, global climate change is not about economic theory or political platforms, nor about partisan advantage or interest group pressures. It is about the future of God’s creation and the one human family.”

-U.S. Bishops

With increases in droughts, floods, and hunger, the world’s poor are likely to be the hardest hit by the impacts of climate change. The Catholic faith demands prudent action to address climate change as a matter of protecting God’s Creation and advocating on behalf of the poor. Included in this plan is additional guidance on how Creighton can integrate sustainability and action towards climate change into its mission as a Catholic institution.

1.2.3 Cost-EffectivenessAnother reason for addressing climate change is the economic benefit associated with many of the related strategies. For example, energy efficiency and renewable energy programs typically require an upfront investment but will save energy and/or cost over time. Included in this Climate Action Plan (CAP) is a cost benefit analysis for all proposed strategies as well as the entire CAP package. This analysis includes estimates of savings and costs over the planning horizon to aid in securing financing for implementation as well as prioritizing between strategies.

1.3 Creighton’s Commitment to Climate Neutrality and Sustainability

1.3.1 American College and University President’s Climate CommitmentTo show its commitment to sustainability and climate change in early 2010, Creighton’s President, Fr John Schlegel, signed the American College and University President’s Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) along with 20% of the nation’s university and college presidents. Current president, Fr. Timothy Lannon has upheld this commitment. As part of this commitment, Creighton has agreed to:

1. Complete an emissions inventory. 2. Within 2 years, set a target date and interim milestones for becoming climate

neutral. 3. Take immediate steps to reduce GHG emissions by choosing from a list of short-

term actions. 4. Integrate sustainability into the curriculum and make it part of the educational

experience. 5. Make the action plan, inventory, and progress reports publicly available.

This report is intended to serve as Creighton’s deliverable for the second action item in the list above. Creighton will be able to use the data presented in this GHG

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emission inventory to identify critical areas for improvement, develop an action plan to reduce its GHG emissions, and achieve climate neutrality.

1.3.2 Other Sustainability InitiativesIn addition to ACUPCC, which has driven the development of this report, Creighton is involved in many other efforts that have showcased its commitment to being a national leader in sustainability:

• Midlands Higher Education Sustainability Forum host, involving colleges and universities in the region

• Energy conservation initiatives by the Facilities Management Department• Expansion of the single stream recycling program on campus• Green Jays Student Group, National recognition in Green Business Quarterly and

The Princeton Review’s Guide to 286 Green Colleges• Participation in Recyclemania!• Annual Earth Day Celebrations• Annual St. Francis Day celebrations• Fair Trade University designation• Inaugural Tree Campus USA recipient, and every year thereafter• Small grants, provided by Facilities Management, for sustainability projects• Ignatian Garden, a community garden for faculty, staff, and students• Certified Nature Classroom at the Russell Child Development Center• Participation in the oneShirt clothing drive during Earth Week• Annual Kripke Lecture on Religion and the Environment• Inclusion in the Sustainability and Catholic Higher Education: A Toolkit for Mission

Integration

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2 THE CLIMATE ACTION PLANNING PROCESS2.1 Greenhouse Gas Inventory

2.2 Mission and Vision

2.3 Organizational Development

2.4 Sustainability in the Curriculum

2.5 Emission Reduction Strategies and Scenario Planning

2.6 Implementation and Continuous Improvement

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3 GREENHOUSE GAS INVENTORY3.1 Baseline ResultsThe total emissions in the Creighton inventory in FY’10 were 85,429 MTCO2e. Over 95% of the emissions generated at Creighton are indirect, with the majority from consuming purchased energy. When considered by activity, energy consumption and transportation are the primary sources of GHG emissions at the university, with small portions contributed by other sources, such as the embodied emissions in purchased goods. A detailed summary of each emission source can be found in Creighton’s GHG Inventory Report.3

Table x – FY’10 GHG Emissions

Scope eCO2

Metric TonsPercent

Energy Natural Gas 1 1,107 1.3%Purchased Electricity 2 39,256 46.0%

Purchased Steam 2 14,426 16.9%Purchased Chilled Water 2 6,751 7.9%

Transportation University Fleet 1 541 0.6%Faculty / Staff Commuting 3 4,473 5.2%

Student Commuting 3 3,830 4.5%

Directly Financed Air Travel 3 6,080 7.1%

Other Directly Financed Travel 3 625 0.7%

Study Abroad Air Travel 3 796 0.9%Other Refrigerants & Chemicals 1 479 0.6%

Agriculture 1 19 0.02%

Solid Waste 3 -33 n/a

Wastewater 3 36 0.04%

Paper Purchasing 3 343 0.4%

Contractor Owned Vehicles 3 12 0.01%

Electronics Purchases 3 1,477 1.7%

Office Supply Purchases 3 214 0.3%

Scope 2 Transmission and Distribution Losses 3 4,997 5.8%TOTAL 85,429 100.0%

3 The FY’10 GHG emissions summarized here are slightly different than those presented in the 2010 GHG Inventory Report found at the link (88 thousand MT CO2e total emissions). This is the result of adjustments to the utility data for Creighton as well as updates to assumptions and emissions factors in the most recent version (v6.8) of the Clean Air Cool Planet Carbon Calculator tool.

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Figure x – FY’10 GHG Emissions by Scope

Figure x – FY’10 GHG Emissions by Activity

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3.2 ForecastThere are a number of factors expected to impact Creighton’s future GHG emissions including the recent Alegent acquisition, future building construction, and projected changes in student enrollment. In September 2012, Alegent Health acquired a variety of Creighton operations which is expected to reduce the total GHG emissions for the university. To allow for a more accurate ‘apples-to-apples’ comparison of annual GHG inventories moving forward, all utility data (natural gas, electricity, steam, and chilled water) associated with facilities no longer associated with Creighton as a result of the acquisition were removed from the FY’10 baseline inventory. Any other emission sources (fleet fuel, university financed travel, commuting, etc) were not adjusted but the changes are expected to only minimally impact future GHG inventories. Additionally, energy use and related emissions were estimated for the new Rasmussen Center that will come on-line in 2013 as well as a new varsity practice and training facility that is estimated to come online in 2015. There are other facilities expected to be constructed in the future such as additional residence halls, however, the timeline and size of any additional facilities is unknown at this time and therefore were not included in the forecast. The forecast can be updated in the future as additional information is gathered about future additions and renovations on campus.Student enrollment increases in this forecast include an increase in the freshman class from 950 to 1,100 students in the next few years. The figure below outlines all of these projected future changes to Creighton GHG emissions, as well as trending of historical emissions back to 2008. Historically, there was a decrease in emissions between 2008 and 2009, with an increase in 2010, likely the result of the Ryan Center coming online. From 2010 through 2012, there has been a steady decrease in emissions. These decreases are likely the result of current efficiency programs already being implemented by the Creighton facilities department. There is expected to be an increase in emissions in 2013 with the Rasmussen Center coming online, another increase in 2015 with the varsity practice facility, and a very slight increase through 2015 due to increased student enrollment, after which a flat-line business-as-usual emission forecast is assumed. This forecast will continue to change in future iterations of this plan as additional projects and changes to operations on campus are outlined and their impacts to the university’s GHG emissions understood.

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Figure x – Creighton Business-As-Usual GHG Emissions Forecast

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4 MISSION AND VISION4.1 Current Mission and VisionThe Creighton University Mission is as follows:

Creighton is a Catholic and Jesuit comprehensive university committed to excellence in its selected undergraduate, graduate and professional programs.

As Catholic, Creighton is dedicated to the pursuit of truth in all its forms and is guided by the living tradition of the Catholic Church.

As Jesuit, Creighton participates in the tradition of the Society of Jesus which provides an integrating vision of the world that arises out of a knowledge and love of Jesus Christ.

As comprehensive, Creighton's education embraces several colleges and professional schools and is directed to the intellectual, social, spiritual, physical and recreational aspects of students' lives and to the promotion of justice.

Creighton exists for students and learning. Members of the Creighton community are challenged to reflect on transcendent values, including their relationship with God, in an atmosphere of freedom of inquiry, belief and religious worship.

Service to others, the importance of family life, the inalienable worth of each individual, and appreciation of ethnic and cultural diversity are core values of Creighton.

Creighton faculty members conduct research to enhance teaching, to contribute to the betterment of society, and to discover new knowledge. Faculty and staff stimulate critical and creative thinking and provide ethical perspectives for dealing with an increasingly complex world.

4.2 Integrating SustainabilityOne of the most important pieces to ensuring the long-term viability of sustainability efforts at Creighton and buy-in by all faculty, staff, and students is to integrate sustainability into the mission and vision of the University. The Catholic Climate Covenant is a great resource in this effort of mission integration. This campaign, lead by the Catholic Coalition on Climate Change, is intended to guide the Catholic Church to “take responsibility for our contribution to climate change and do what we do best: be advocates for those who will be left out of the public policy debate on climate change.”The Coalition developed a resource specifically geared towards higher education institution sustainability efforts called Sustainability and Catholic Higher Education: A Toolkit for Mission Integration. This toolkit is organized around the five components of the St. Francis Pledge to Care for Creation and the Poor, and provides guidance on

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how to identify and implement opportunities in each of the five dimensions on campus and in the larger community.

PRAY and reflect on the duty to care for God’s Creation and protect the poor and vulnerable.

LEARN about and educate others on the causes and moral dimensions of climate change.

ASSESS how we-as individuals and in our families, parishes and other affiliations-contribute to climate change by our own energy use, consumption, waste, etc.

ACT to change our choices and behaviors to reduce the ways we contribute to climate change.

ADVOCATE for Catholic principles and priorities in climate change discussions and decisions, especially as they impact those who are poor and vulnerable.

The Society of Jesus convened a task force that applied the “See, Judge, Act” framework of Catholic Social Teaching to the current environmental situation. The result was the document Healing a Broken World, which both examines the relationship between “reconciliation with creation” and faith and justice and outlines recommendations to consider at Jesuit institutions.

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5 SUSTAINABILITY IN THE CURRICULUMGenerally, AASHE notes that higher education has a key role to play in helping society move to a sustainable future, including the following activities:

Developing curriculum that examines how we shape a sustainable world

Preparing learners for living sustainably both professionally and personally

Explicitly helping the learner deeply understand the interactions, interconnections, and consequences of actions and decisions

Furthermore, AASHE indicates the role of higher education includes finding new ways to educate students differently – changing the pedagogy by using the campus and community as the context for sustainability education. Thus, curriculum is linked to every other aspect in this Plan because the educational experience of students is a function not just of what students are taught and how they are taught, but also how the college conducts research, operates, purchases, design facilities, invests, and interacts with local communities.

5.1 Current ProgramsCreighton already offers a number of programs focusing on sustainability, including:

Energy Technology Environmental Science

5.2 Future Programs Student On-Boarding: Orientation for new students is an important opportunity

for student engagement. This is an opportunity to introduce new students to sustainability at Creighton and outline various ways they can get involved.

Curriculum: Student engagement has to be continually reinforced throughout a student’s time on campus. There are various opportunities to do this by incorporating sustainability into the curriculum; including RSP/SRP courses and also integrating sustainability into core curriculum across all colleges.

Research Projects: Various strategies outlined in this plan could potentially provide opportunities for student participation through research project, program development, implementation, etc. As an example, the Renewable Energy – Thermal strategy is still in the development stages and will require additional research on technology options which could lend itself very well to a research project for the Energy Technology class. As part of the implementation process, strategies should be viewed through this lens to identify opportunities for student participation.

Sustainability Institute: There are discussions at Creighton about starting a sustainability institute on campus. This institute could be the organizing body for

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sustainability efforts on campus, providing direction to faculty on how to integrate the subject into their curriculum.

6 EMISSION REDUCTION STRATEGIES AND SCENARIO PLANNING

6.1 ScenariosTwo different scenarios for climate neutrality are being presented as part of this CAP, both with targets focused on Creighton’s sesquicentennial in 2028. The first scenario achieves climate neutrality by 2050 with a 50 percent reduction by 2028, while the second is much more aggressive, achieving full neutrality by 2028. The table below outlines the differences between the two scenarios with regard to the emission reduction strategies. For all strategies not listed below, the only difference is the rate of implementation due to the differences in the climate neutral target year.

Table x – FY’10 GHG Emissions

2050 Net-Zero (Scenario 1)

2028 Net-Zero (Scenario 2)

Efficiency% Savings 20% 15%% Annual SqFt Upgraded 10% 20%Average Payback 5 years 10 years

Renewable EnergyStart Year 2030 2015Completion Year 2050 2028

Reduced Commuting% Reduction 40% 30%

6.2 Results SummaryThe tables and charts below present results for the two CAP scenarios. Scenario 1 is less aggressive and therefore requires less implementation cost, has a quicker overall payback and higher net present value in 2028. However, because Scenario 2 is more aggressive, the net present value in 2050 is higher than that for Scenario 1. As presented in the figures below, for both scenarios offsets4 make up just under 15 percent of the reduction efforts, accounting for those emission sources that are currently difficult to reduce directly. Creighton can consider two different approaches for addressing these emission offsets, purchasing them from a third party or generating the offsets directly through the installation of offsite renewable energy projects. As discussed in the offset write-up below, there may be options to reduce the dependence on offsets in the future. Due to their relatively low contribution to emissions reduction, quantified results for the Green Building, Reduced Fleet Fuel

4 The World Resources Institute defines a carbon offset as “a unit of carbon dioxide-equivalent (CO2e) that is reduced, avoided, or sequestered to compensate for emissions occurring elsewhere”.

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Use, and Purchased Goods & Waste Management are not included in the tables or figures below.

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Table x – Scenario 1 Cost Benefit Analysis

Description

2050 CumulativeSimple

Payback [years]

Net Present Value Return on Investment

[Net Cost Savings/ Cumulative Cost]

Cost Effectiveness [Net Cost Savings/

Cumulative MTCO2e]

Emission Reduction [MT CO2e]

Implementation Cost [$]

Cost Savings [$] 2028 2050

Energy Conservation Measures 380,000 $12,830,000 $98,801,000 7 $6,123,727 $22,452,103 670% $226Outreach and Behavior Change 30,000 $1,950,000 $3,434,000 <1 $313,535 $342,746 76% $49Re-commissioning 231,000 $12,890,000 $59,738,000 5 $4,071,215 $4,982,316 363% $203Renewable Energy - Electricity 140,000 $25,022,000 $21,844,000 >25 $0 ($1,793,691) -13% ($23)Renewable Energy - Thermal 125,000 $70,025,000 $1,221,000 >25 $0 ($177,897) -98% ($550)Reduced Commuting 24,000 $0 $0 n/a $0 $0 n/a n/aReduced University Financed Travel 70,000 $50,000 $26,084,000 <1 $2,625,392 $7,264,200 n/a n/aOPPD Renewable Energy Goals 276,000 $0 $0 n/a $0 $0 n/a n/aCAFE Standards 178,500 $0 $0 n/a $0 $0 n/a n/aOffsets (Purchased) 238,900 $3,583,400 $0 n/a ($365,862) ($1,002,987) -100% ($15)Offsets (Owned) 238,900 $35,104,100 $37,430,100 >25 ($3,655,153) ($2,051,051) 7% $10TOTAL (w/ Purchased Offsets) 1,716,400 $126,350,400 $238,056,000 11 $15,480,043 $39,145,804 88% $65TOTAL (w/ Owned Offsets) 1,716,400 $157,871,100 $275,486,100 14 $12,190,752 $38,097,740 75% $69

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Figure x – Scenario 1 Emission Reduction Wedge Diagram

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Table x – Scenario 2 Cost Benefit Analysis

Description

2050 CumulativeSimple

Payback [years]

Net Present Value Return on Investment

[Net Cost Savings/ Cumulative Cost]

Cost Effectiveness [Net Cost Savings/

Cumulative MTCO2e]

Emission Reduction [MT CO2e]

Implementation Cost [$]

Cost Savings [$] 2028 2050

Energy Conservation Measures 570,000 $38,489,000 $148,201,000 12 $2,719,552 $25,172,408 285% $192Outreach and Behavior Change 26,000 $1,950,000 $2,906,000 <1 $265,433 $284,920 49% $37Re-commissioning 231,000 $12,890,000 $59,738,000 5 $4,071,215 $4,982,316 363% $203Renewable Energy - Electricity 408,000 $59,790,000 $49,768,000 >25 ($13,384,284) ($7,511,009) -17% ($25)Renewable Energy - Thermal 315,000 $140,524,000 $2,531,000 >25 ($3,714,355) ($2,239,948) -98% ($438)Reduced Commuting 30,000 $0 $0 n/a $0 $0 n/a n/aReduced University Financed Travel 107,000 $50,000 $39,715,000 n/a $6,436,224 $12,914,575 n/a n/aOPPD Renewable Energy Goals 276,000 $0 $0 n/a $0 $0 n/a n/aCAFE Standards 178,500 $0 $0 n/a $0 $0 n/a n/aOffsets (Purchased) 385,500 $5,781,900 $0 n/a ($977,359) ($1,909,850) -100% ($15)Offsets (Owned) 385,500 $41,572,400 $49,305,800 >25 ($7,612,453) ($2,332,082) 19% $20TOTAL (w/ Purchased Offsets) 2,557,000 $259,474,900 $342,105,000 28 $1,920,988 $44,092,396 32% $32TOTAL (w/ Owned Offsets) 2,557,000 $295,265,400 $391,410,800 23 ($4,714,105) $43,670,165 33% $38

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Figure x – Scenario 2 Emission Reduction Wedge Diagram5

5 As OPPD continues to increase the percentage of its supply coming from renewable energy, the emissions impact for other actions will be reduced. The total emissions reduction will be the same it is just a matter of which action it is associated with (OPPD vs. Direct Actions by Creighton).

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6.3 Emission Reduction Strategies

6.3.1 Energy

6.3.1.1 Green Building and Capital Improvement Projects

One of the Short-Term Actions adopted by Creighton as part of ACUCPCC is a commitment to design all new construction and major renovations to a LEED Silver level, which has the potential to reduce energy use in new buildings by 30 percent over existing building stock. Applying LEED criteria to future construction projects at Creighton would help to minimize the impact on the campus GHG inventory. Near-term projects that should incorporate green building practices include:

Varsity practice and training facility Renovation of various buildings including the Harper Center, the Eppley Building,

Old Gym, and others Residence halls (new buildings and/or renovation of existing facilities)

This strategy builds upon the ACUPCC commitment to LEED Silver status, through the development of a Sustainable Building and Capital Improvements Policy. This policy would require the incorporation of green building practices into the siting, design, construction, remodeling, repair, maintenance, operation, and deconstruction of all campus facilities and would also incorporate a systems thinking approach into the planning, decision-making, and design process for all capital improvement projects. Such an approach often includes a triple bottom line framework for comparing project options based on consistent environmental, social and economic metrics. Additionally, this approach would include a more holistic approach to cost accounting, including use of life cycle analysis, examining project costs from pre-construction to decommissioning to factor into decision making considerations such as durability, operations and maintenance costs, and end-of-life project costs.

6.3.1.2 Preventative Maintenance

This strategy entails establishing a campus-wide preventative maintenance program and management system to better evaluate replacement/maintenance options. It also includes establishing a dedicated preventative maintenance plan and staff that can maintain high performance in existing building systems, saving money in utility costs, and as the delay or prevention of more costly repair and replacement. Creighton currently has a detailed deferred maintenance handbook outlining all of the maintenance projects on campus, split into various categories and ranked by order of importance/need. Many of these repairs and equipment replacements, typically those in the Services Systems category of the deferred maintenance handbook, will have a direct impact on energy reduction and meeting the goals outlined in this CAP. There will be added labor and material costs associated with the implementation of a preventative maintenance program; however, the savings over the life of the equipment are typically greater if a preventative maintenance approach is applied.

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According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of Energy, procedures specifically targeted at energy efficiency in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment and lighting systems, for example, can save 5 to 20 percent on energy bills annually without significant capital investment. Other benefits include increased occupant health and comfort, conservation of resources, and reductions in major repair and replacement of equipment.

6.3.1.3 Energy Conservation Measures

This strategy focuses on opportunities for energy conservation measures (ECMs) in existing buildings. Typical ECMs address, but are not limited to, building envelope, lighting, HVAC equipment, and domestic hot water. During the development of this plan, walk-throughs were conducted of multiple buildings on campus to begin to identify opportunities for savings. Appendix A outlines the details of this effort along with some estimates of potential savings and costs for various ECMs.Increasing energy efficiency in campus buildings saves both natural resources and money by decreasing electricity and natural gas use and thus reducing environmental consequences. Buildings are the leading energy users in the country, accounting for more than $280 billion in annual energy costs. Colleges and universities control a large number of buildings, including offices, housing, classrooms, labs, and athletic facilities, and must pay for energy use in all of them. Straightforward retrofits to windows, insulation, electrical, lighting, or heating systems can yield large energy cost savings. Such retrofits not only save money and reduce GHG emissions; they also lead to increased productivity by students, faculty, and staff who use the buildings.

6.3.1.4 Outreach and Behavior Change

Though there are many opportunities for energy and emissions savings at Creighton through technology intensive strategies like improved energy efficiency and renewable energy; an important piece to ensuring the successful implementation of this plan is increasing awareness in the Creighton community and encouraging more conservation minded behaviors on campus. Research indicates that education alone can result in 5 percent to 30 percent energy savings6. Based on evaluation of various case studies, an average savings of 7 percent annual savings was assumed for this strategy. Results like these can be accomplished through various outreach and education campaigns, making the campus community more aware of the energy it uses. One specific opportunity for this strategy could be to install web-based portals and other information kiosks in buildings to show students, faculty, and staff real time energy use on campus to help them better understand how various activities impact campus energy use. Competitions between buildings, particularly student housing, can be quite effective at reducing energy consumption on campus as well.

6 Doppelt, Bob and Markowitz, Ezra M. (2009) Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions through Behavioral Change: An Assessment of Past Research on Energy Use, Transportation and Water Consumption. Climate Leadership Initiative Institute for a Sustainable Environment, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR.

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6.3.1.5 Building Re-commissioning/Tune-Up

Re-commissioning essentially involves optimizing (tuning up) an existing building’s mechanical and control systems so they operate efficiently and effectively, resulting in reduced energy use and increased occupant comfort. Activities may include testing energy efficiency and thermal/environmental performance of a building’s automatic control, heating, cooling, and refrigeration systems. It can also include lighting and daylighting controls (e.g., sensor calibrations) and building envelope systems. For smaller, less complicated buildings (less than 50,000 square feet) a more streamlined tune-up approach is used for greater cost-effectiveness. A little over half (57%) of the 56 buildings on the Creighton campus are less than 50,000 square feet. The re-commissioning process can be particularly valuable where internal loads and space layouts have changed but system functionality has not. This may be particularly applicable to the upcoming Harper Center repurposing. The purpose of testing, adjusting, and rebalancing heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems is to assure that a system is providing proper airflow with maximum occupant comfort at the lowest energy cost possible. Instrument calibration and reporting can also help to optimize operations that affect energy consumption that might go unnoticed. All savings realized for building re-commissioning are assumed to be over and above what can be realized for any steps taken as part of the building energy efficiency strategy discussed above. A 10-year cycle is proposed for re-commissioning efforts at Creighton that would address 10 percent of the campus building space every year with an estimated 10 percent energy savings. This continuous commissioning model ensures that savings are maintained over the long term and new opportunities are realized as building uses change and equipment ages.

6.3.1.6 Renewable Energy - Electric

Though energy efficiency and conservation should be the top priority for Creighton to reduce emissions associated with building energy consumption, consumption cannot be reduced to zero, therefore on-site energy generation should be considered as a second phase of implementation. This strategy considers the installation of solar PV arrays (both rooftop and land applications) as well as wind turbines for additional generation. The analysis presented in this plan does not include costs associated with any required land purchases. The roof-top areas and suitability for installation of solar PV was roughly evaluated using satellite photos. Ground-mounted and/or parking lot canopy solar PV installations are also included in this strategy. Specific locations have not been identified but a total of 250,000 square feet of land/canopy PV installations was assumed. It is likely that this could be done through a combination of existing open space on campus, existing parking lots, as well as the potential acquisition of additional land for a larger solar array. For wind turbines, most of Omaha is in a less than ideal wind regime for generating power (wind power class 2 or 3 at a height of 50 meters), particularly when the wind

25 CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY CLIMATE ACTION PLAN 2012

shear from buildings, trees and other obstructions is considered. However, outside of the City, in more open areas, the wind potential increases significantly. For the purposes of this CAP, it has been assumed that Creighton would acquire land off of the main campus site to install a larger, utility scale wind farm to offset the remaining electricity consumption on campus after all other strategies are implemented.

6.3.1.7 Renewable Energy - Thermal

Currently, Creighton purchases steam and chilled water from Energy Systems Company (ESC) for the majority of its space heating and cooling. The main fuel source for both the steam and chilled water lops is natural gas. A small portion of campus is not on the district system but is instead served by individual heating and cooling units (rooftop units or split furnace/air conditioning units) with natural gas for heating. There are various options Creighton could consider to reduce the GHG impact of the natural gas as well as steam and chilled water supplied to campus. A number of these identified options are outlined below; additional research will have to be conducted to determine the most appropriate solution for Creighton.

Improved efficiency of the existing system Combined heat and power Solar thermal installations Biomass generation Offset development – installation of additional electricity generation projects

(solar PV, wind, etc) to offset the emissions generated by natural gas, steam, and chilled water consumption

6.3.1.8 Omaha Public Power District Renewable Energy Goals

As outlined in its 2010 Sustainability Report, OPPD has set a goal of having 10 percent of its retail electricity sales coming from renewable energy by 2020. In addition, the City of Omaha’s Environment Element and Comprehensive Energy Management Plan (CEMP) have a goal of increasing this amount by 10 percent every 10 years thereafter, mainly through utility scale wind and solar projects. Because it is in OPPD’s service area, Creighton will benefit from the implementation of these goals as the college will reduce the emissions factor associated with its electricity usage. For the purposes of this analysis, a 1 percent reduction in the electricity emissions factor was assumed for Creighton. If the goals outlined above are achieved, the annual percent reduction could be much greater (1.5 to 4 percent annually). However, a more conservative approach was taken because Creighton does not have direct control over this action and it makes up such a large portion of the overall path to climate neutrality for the campus.

CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY CLIMATE ACTION PLAN 2012 26

6.3.2 Transportation6.3.2.1 Reduced Fleet Fuel Use

This action involves reducing overall municipal fleet fuel consumption both through reduction of non-essential trips and also replacing fleet vehicles with more efficient models, including replacement with electric vehicles where applicable. Tools and technologies to reduce non-essential trips include:

Route optimization Video and tele-conferencing technologies Shuttle services and bus passes Ride sharing Bicycle infrastructure, including bike check-out program and additional racks Alternative Fuel vehicles (CNG, electric, etc)

6.3.2.2 Reduced Commuting

Currently transit options in the City of Omaha are limited. Creighton does offer a shuttle to and from campus but it only serves targeted areas of town and therefore does not address the needs of all faculty, staff, and students. The City is currently updating its Transportation Master Plan, which will incorporate increased transit options. And additionally, the Environment Element and CEMP have goals to reduce vehicle miles travelled in Omaha, which will have a direct impact on Creighton and available transportation options, including improved bike and pedestrian infrastructure and mass transit, among other things. This strategy is focused on reducing single-occupancy vehicle commuting by the Creighton community with the impacts gradually increasing as additional transportation options continue to be made available by the City. In addition to taking advantage to the increase in transit services provided by the City, Creighton can also take steps directly to improve the use of alternative commuting modes by faculty, staff, and students. Below are a number of ideas that have been recommended by various representatives of the Creighton Sustainability Council:

Promote car-sharing programs (building off the current Zip Car program) and off-campus carpool programs that provide incentives for student, faculty, and staff to carpool. Vanpool programs

Provide additional priority parking by creating reserved parking spots for carpoolers, provide subsidized or free parking passes, and promote the existing regional ride share program (www.metrorideshare.org). Provide incentives (lower cost/free parking, loan programs) for faculty, staff, and student owners and operators of low-emissions vehicles.

Provide infrastructure and incentives for faculty, staff, and students who bike or walk to campus, such as bike racks and locker facilities.

Encourage pedestrian and bike traffic when redesigning sites.

27 CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY CLIMATE ACTION PLAN 2012

Develop policies for faculty and staff that encourage telecommuting when feasible.

Evaluate options for a four-day work week for any relevant faculty/staff Encourage multi-use buildings around campus (retail on 1st floor with residential

on upper floors, etc)

6.3.2.3 Reduced University Financed Travel

This strategy focuses on opportunities to reduce the emissions associated with travel, specifically airline travel, financed by the university, without restricting faculty and staff from high level performance or going against Creighton’s mission as an educational institution. The main approach for addressing this emission source is through increased use of technology and video conferencing capabilities on campus, thereby reducing the need for travel. This could also be turned into an opportunity for the campus by turning Creighton into a communications technology hub for the region. Secondarily, financed travel may be reduced by directly limiting the number of allowable trips per staff/faculty member each year.

6.3.2.4 CAFE Standards

One opportunity over which Creighton does not have direct control but that can have a significant impact on transportation related emissions generated by the university is improved fuel economy standards for passenger vehicles implemented at the federal level. The most recent CAFE standards set a target of 55 miles per gallon by 2025. This opportunity is also recognized in the City’s CEMP.

6.3.3 Other

6.3.3.1 Purchased Goods & Waste Management

Recent data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency indicates that almost 30 percent of carbon emissions associated with purchased goods can be attributed to the “life cycle” of these goods. These emissions occur at multiple stages of a product’s life cycle, from extraction and processing of raw materials to manufacture, distribution, storage and disposal. Therefore, environmentally preferable purchasing and reducing the use and amount of purchased goods from the start can not only save money, but also help reduce energy and water consumption and GHG emissions associated with products.By world standards, waste in the United States is a large and growing problem.  Major facilities and tracts of land are required to accommodate generated waste, and monitoring and mitigation are needed long after disposal. This strategy focuses on reducing the amount of solid waste generated by the Creighton campus which can reduce GHG emissions7, prolong the life of landfills, and reduce disposal costs.

7 Creighton’s waste currently goes to the Pheasant Point Landfill which has a gas to energy system; therefore reduction in waste sent to the landfill will not decrease emissions.

CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY CLIMATE ACTION PLAN 2012 28

6.3.3.2 Carbon Offsets

Implementation of the strategies outlined above does not get Creighton to climate neutrality. The remaining emissions are mostly from emission sources that are more difficult to reduce including commuting, university financed travel, and embodied emissions in goods purchased for campus (paper and office products and electronic equipment, specifically8). As Creighton continues to update this plan and adjust the strategies, there will likely be additional opportunities to address these emission sources and the requirement for offsets will likely decrease.There are two approaches Creighton can take to offset its remaining emissions. It can purchase offsets from a third party or it can invest in offsite renewable energy projects to develop its own offsets. Purchasing offsets require less upfront cost but they are a continuous net cost to the university (no direct return on investment). Alternatively, investment in offsite renewable energy projects require significantly more upfront investment but that investment will eventually have a payback. It will be up to Creighton which approach it wants to take. Initial guidance from the Creighton Sustainability Council is to avoid purchasing offsets unless absolutely necessary. The university will also have to determine if it wants to make annual investments in carbon offsets or simply purchase offsets only at the end of the planning horizon to meet its climate neutral goal.

6.3.3.3 Emerging Technologies

As a living document, this plan will undergo regular reviews and updates during which Creighton will evaluate new technologies and consider the addition of strategies to this plan. A myriad of technologies on the horizon may become viable within the timeframe of this plan and alter the course of Creighton’s path to climate neutrality.

8 Only paper purchases are required for inclusion by ACUPCC; office product and electronic equipment purchases were added by Creighton

29 CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY CLIMATE ACTION PLAN 2012

7 IMPLEMENTING THE CAP7.1 Organizational DevelopmentAlong with integrating sustainability into the mission and vision at Creighton, another important step to ensuring the long term viability of this CAP and other sustainability efforts on campus is to align them with existing systems across the organization, as outlined below. Next steps for each of these systems are summarized in the section of this plan.

1. Governance is an important consideration in implementing sustainability because it determines how an organization makes decisions and holds itself accountable to decisions. Sustainability efforts need to tap into these processes, ensuring management buy-in and support for holding the organization accountable to sustainability decisions and plans. Thus leadership and management review mechanisms will be very important to the success of this plan.

2. Organizational Structure plays an important role in understanding how to best assign roles and responsibilities for implementing sustainability. This includes a charting of who is responsible for doing what parts of the plan, who needs to be consulted or informed and ultimately to whom the responsible ‘doers’ will be held accountable. To ensure the long term success of this plan it will be important to have a central point of contact to oversee all of the various parts and pieces.

3. Planning is a key aspect of the long term vision for Creighton. Incorporating sustainability and this CAP into the planning process, whether in the evaluation of future capital improvements or curriculum development at the university will be an important aspect of continuous support for these efforts.

4. Human Resources Management will play a vital role in the implementation of this plan. Currently many faculty, staff and students see the CAP or sustainability efforts at Creighton as someone else’s responsibility. By incorporating sustainability into the school’s mission, programs can be developed to incentivize faculty and staff to participate and integrate sustainability into their everyday activities; providing them with the resources they need to participate will help ensure the success of the CAP and other sustainability efforts on campus.

5. Budget and Financial Management is crucial to all operations on campus, including the implementation of this plan. To prevent the CAP from sitting on a shelf it will be important to layout a targeted approach to financing each of the strategies and incorporating into Creighton’s annual budget process.

6. Communications will be important to encouraging participation and action, coordinate efforts, and report progress.

CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY CLIMATE ACTION PLAN 2012 30

7. Core Values and Cultural Norms are important to address to ensure buy-in and participation. One specific core value that has already been discussed and is incorporated throughout this plan is the integration of sustainability in the Jesuit Mission.

7.2 Implementation and Continuous ImprovementThis CAP is considered the first iteration of what will be a living document, subject to a continuous “Plan-Do-Check-Act” review and revision process as strategies are implemented, progress is monitored and measured, new strategies are developed, and the CAP is revisited. Employing such a continuous improvement process will ensure the CAP does not remain static or sit idle on a shelf, but rather continues to move Creighton toward sustainability year after year.

7.2.1 PlanThe first component of the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle is planning- embodied by the completion of this first version of the CAP.

7.2.2 DoThe “Do” component of the continuous improvement process entails implementing the CAP’s strategies. For effective implementation, accountability must be established whereby lead and supporting roles are assigned to each strategy and the necessary resources are allocated to implementation, from the management level down to staff, faculty, and students.

31 CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY CLIMATE ACTION PLAN 2012

Plan- Map and Prioritize

Impacts- Set Objectives and

Targets-Link and Develop

Programs

Do- Assign

Responsibilities-Train

Employees-Communicate

Check- Monitor and

Measure Progress-Check to

Confirm Success

Act-Conduct Annual

Review- Make Changes to

Maintain Effectiveness

The following table summarizes strategies and other aspects of the plan, identifies the lead party for each, and outlines recommended next step to help guide in implementation.

Table x – Strategy Performance IndicatorsTopic Area Lead

PartyNext Steps

Mission and VisionMission and Vision 1. Take the St. Francis Pledge to Care for Creation and the

Poor as a University 2. Use the toolkit for guidance on how to integrate

sustainability into Creighton’s existing mission3. Convene Strategic Planning group to incorporate

sustainability into mission and visionSustainability in the CurriculumStudent On-Boarding 1. Develop a sustainability primer to distribute to all new

students during orientation.2. Identify other opportunities and programs for

introducing incoming students to Creighton’s sustainability efforts

Curriculum 1. Begin steps to integrate sustainability into the freshman introductory and senior capstone programs

2. Begin discussion of integrating sustainability into core classes in all colleges on campus

Sustainability Institute 1. Follow status of institute development and develop a plan for having the institute lead/coordinate all sustainability issues on campus

Emission Reduction StrategiesGreen Building and Capital Improvement Projects

1. Develop process to require all new gifted buildings be climate neutral or provide an endowment to become so

2. Similar to maintenance endowment3. Develop a Creighton Sustainable Building Policy4. Develop a simple triple bottom line tool to use in

evaluating capital projects using environmental, community, and economic factors

5. Apply policy and tool to deferred maintenance project list

6. Develop policy to require a sustainability/energy assessment for all renovations and remodels

7. Develop approach to meet the 2030 Challenge for all buildings on campus. (carbon neutral for all new construction and 50% reduction by 2030

Preventative Maintenance 1. Develop a documented handbook for preventative maintenance

2. Provide any necessary training to facilities staff on the preventative maintenance process and use of the handbook

Energy Conservation 1. Consider efficiency in all deferred maintenance projects

CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY CLIMATE ACTION PLAN 2012 32

Measures 2. Conduct more detailed energy assessments of each campus facility

3. Prioritize efficiency upgrades based on assessments and building EUIs

Outreach and Behavior Change

1. Review and evaluate options for updating internal billing process to bill departments directly for usage

2. Incentivize departments by sharing a percentage of any energy savings realized by projects or program implemented

3. Increase the signage around campus to encourage conservation and educate about energy savings (e.g. plug load management)

Re-commissioning and Tune-Up

1. Include re-commissioning in the plan for the change of use of the Harper Center

2. Review the deferred maintenance handbook and identify opportunities for incorporating re-commissioning into the identified projects

3. Develop a plan and schedule for conducting re-commissioning/tune-up in all campus facilities

Renewable Energy - Electric 1. Identify priority projects for next round of rooftop solar PV installation implementation

2. Develop a guide/process for how to consider and evaluate future land donations for renewable energy installations. Current potential opportunities to consider include:

a. Iowa farm landb. Hospital in Arizona (partner of Creighton’s;

potential PV site)c. Land in Texas (contact John Jesse, VP of Finance,

for more details)Renewable Energy - Thermal 1. Develop research project for Energy Technology

students to research this strategy further and evaluate various options

Reduced Fleet Fuel Consumption

1. Develop policy for new vehicle purchases that considers more efficient options as well as electric or CNG vehicles where applicable

2. Create outreach campaign for faculty and staff to encourage reduced use of fleet vehicles as a means to minimize non-essential trips

3. Learn more about grant proposal in for developing a collaborative biodiesel program between Metro, Iowa Western CC, and Creighton with production performed at Iowa Western and waste oil from campuses as the feedstock.

Reduced Commuting 1. Participate in the next Metro Commuter Challenge 2. Evaluate current shuttle routes and need for additional

routes, larger vehicles etc3. Install bike racks on current shuttle fleet4. Work with Campus Safety to get campus bike fleet/bike

library implemented on campus (bikes already purchased)

33 CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY CLIMATE ACTION PLAN 2012

5. Work with other higher education institutions in Omaha to secure bus passes and better service for all entities

6. Develop an initiative on campus to support community-wide programs that will benefit Creighton (MAPA bike trail project, Metro light rail grant, etc)

7. Develop communications campaign to educate Creighton community about existing programs (shuttle service, floater vehicle, zip cars, GPS shuttle tracking, etc)

8. Cost/benefit analysis for CNG and/or electric vehicle fueling station(s) on campus

9. Take steps to become a Bike Friendly University 10. Evaluate options that disincentives parking on campus:

a. Do not allow freshman to have a car on campus; alternatively supply them with a bus pass and/or access to a bike

b. Increase parking costsc. Require all new employees to live within a

certain distance of campus to increase potential of using alternative transportation options

11. Evaluate options to remove Creighton shuttle system and instead increase Metro service to/from campus

Reduced University Financed Travel

1. Evaluate options for increasing video conference options on campus

2. Set targets to reduce the number of university financed trips by faculty and staff if video/tele-conference options are available

Purchased Goods & Waste Management

1. Purchased Goodsa. Develop approach for reducing amount of

purchased goods (paper, office supplies, electronic equipment).

b. Freecycle program c. Purchase more environmentally friendly options

to reduced associated GHG emissionsd.e. Local food picnic next fall to promote wellness

and local food economy2. Waste Management

a. Evaluate options for joining EPA WasteWise b. Increase recycling and compost activities on

campusc. Address food waste (reinstate service to

distribute leftover food to community)d. Build off reusable bag program at Follett

bookstore to reduce plastic bag and other disposable product use on campus

OPPD Renewable Energy Goals

1. Coordinate with the City and other community entities to encourage OPPD to increase the amount of renewable energy in its portfolio and meet the goals it has set

CAFE Standards 1. Continue to track standards and work with the City to

CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY CLIMATE ACTION PLAN 2012 34

take steps to continue to increase these standardsCarbon Offsets 1. Determine which approach will be taken to address

offsets (purchasing or owning)Organizational DevelopmentGovernance TBDOrganizational Structure 1. Hire full-time sustainability coordinatorPlanning TBDHuman Resources Management

1. Incorporate sustainability actions and targets into faculty and staff reviews

2. Provide incentives for participationBudget and Financial Management

1. Develop 5-year budget and financing plan for preferred scenario

Communications 1. Sustainability 101 Handbook for faculty and staff new hires

2. Incorporate into new staff/faculty orientation3. Ongoing sustainability training for all faculty and staff –

determine frequency and develop a training schedule4. Communication strategy for sustainability

Core Values and Cultural Norms

TBD

7.2.3 CheckThe “Check” component entails establishing a process to monitor progress toward the CAP’s desired outcomes. This entails establishing an implementation monitoring program to track progress over time as the CAP’s implementation steps are completed. Implementation can be documented for future reference and shared with the Creighton community. For instance, what was the actual cost of a given implementation step and when was it implemented? Who was involved, and what were their tangible indications of success? This type of information can be used to celebrate success, adjust activities and implementation steps as desired, or introduce new activities and implementation steps.  In addition to implementation monitoring, Creighton can establish a performance monitoring program that will track the success of the CAP in achieving measurable benefits in terms of GHG reductions and other outcomes as articulated in the CAP’s strategies.   Performance will be monitored by tracking key indicators related to sustainability over time. 

Table x – Strategy Performance Indicators

Strategy Performance IndicatorsGreen Building and Capital Improvement Projects

Green Building standard for all new construction and major renovation projects

Preventative Maintenance Annual dollars spent on maintenanceEnergy Conservation Measures Building energy use intensityOutreach and Behavior Change Building energy use intensityRe-commissioning and Tune-Up Building energy use intensityRenewable Energy - Electric Percent of energy supplied by renewable energyRenewable Energy - Thermal Percent of energy supplied by renewable energy

35 CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY CLIMATE ACTION PLAN 2012

Reduced Fleet Fuel Consumption Total gallons of fleet fuel purchased annuallyReduced Commuting Annual commuting milesReduced University Financed Travel Total dollars spent annually on university financed travelOPPD Renewable Energy Goals Percent of OPPD energy supplied by renewable energyCAFE Standards Annual CAFE standardSolid Waste Management Annual waste generate per capitaOffsets Annual offset purchases

7.2.4 Act

CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY CLIMATE ACTION PLAN 2012 36

The final “Act” component of the process entails taking corrective action for the CAP based on the outcomes of both implementation and performance monitoring. This may include revising or developing new strategies, shifting roles and responsibilities, revisiting implementation time horizons, and other actions. It is anticipated that progress toward strategies will be revisited on an annual basis, with goals being revisited over a longer time horizon.

7.3 Financing the PlanThe figures below show the net annual and cumulative cost/savings for both scenarios including all of the strategies included in this plan through 2028. This information is intended to aid Creighton in planning efforts to secure the proper funding for implementation and/or adjust its implementation schedule as needed for financing purposes.

37 CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY CLIMATE ACTION PLAN 2012

Figure x. Annual Net Cost Savings – Scenario 1

Figure x. Annual Net Cost Savings – Scenario 2

CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY CLIMATE ACTION PLAN 2012 38

Figure x. Cumulative Net Cost Savings – Scenario 1

Figure x. Cumulative Net Cost Savings – Scenario 2

For the purposes of this plan, the costs and savings projected for each strategy and presented in the table above assume all-cash funding coming from Creighton; however,

39 CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY CLIMATE ACTION PLAN 2012

other financing mechanisms, such as bonding and third-party financing, could be used to reduce the capital requirements associated with climate neutrality and level out the cost of this plan. The table below provides a list of various options available to fund implementation of the plan’s measures, including examples of schools where many of these financing options have been applied as well as additional resources available to Creighton. This table was originally taken from University of Buffalo’s CAP and revised as needed to suit Creighton. As Creighton begins to implement its strategies, these case studies can be used to help further develop a specific financing approach. ACUPCC also provides a helpful resource for learning about financing options for sustainability projects on campus.As part of this climate action planning effort, Creighton will stay appraised of the latest funding opportunities. This is a fast-changing landscape where legislation, incentives and rebates, and maturing technologies can rapidly improve the financial options around plan strategies.

Table x. Examples of CAP Financing Options

Financing Strategy

Description (Available Resources) Example Where Implemented

INTERNALCapturing Efficiency Savings

Begin implementation with a focus on low and no-cost strategies, such as education programs, and those with very favorable paybacks. The recognized savings from these strategies can then be used to help finance the more capital intensive opportunities.

n/a

Revolving Loan Fund

Provides capital for projects that create some level of return or cost savings. Some portion of the return/cost savings is used to repay the fund until the full project cost is repaid. As the fund is replenished it can finance more projects (ACUPCC).

Macalester College

Performance Contracting

Contractual and financing mechanism through which building owners can undertake comprehensive energy efficiency retrofits with minimal financial exposure and risk (OPPD, ACUPCC).

University of Buffalo

Elective Fees Voluntary fees collected from students through tuition bill student fees and faculty/staff through opt-in payroll deductions, to help fund climate neutrality initiatives.

University of Colorado

Graduating Class Gifts

Donations made by graduating seniors to specific initiatives Middlebury College

Endowment Investments

Some GHG mitigation strategies have higher returns than typical market investments, providing alternative options for funding the strategy implementation that also benefits the endowment

Harvard University

User Fees and Tariffs

Funding source and mechanism for behavioral change by charging individuals and departments based on resource (energy, transportation, parking) use.

UC Berkeley

Administrative Allocation

Direct funding allocated through budgeting process. University of Buffalo

CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY CLIMATE ACTION PLAN 2012 40

Financing Strategy

Description (Available Resources) Example Where Implemented

Capital Campaigns

Time-limited fund raising efforts to fund a specific project. None identified

Lease Purchases

Leases structured where the full cost of the project assets is amortized over the lease period and the lessee may take title to the assets upon execution of the agreement (OPPD/Provanta Financing Solutions, ACUPCC).

None identified

Power Purchase Agreements

Third-party financing option for capital investments, like solar PV, in which the infrastructure is owned and operated by a private entity for a specified contract period.

Colorado State University

EXTERNALUtility Rebates Incentives available through local utilities providing financial support for

study and/or implementation (OPPD Programs including Innovative Energy Efficiency Project, Lighting, Heat Pump, and ECO 24/7 incentive programs).

n/a

Federal Grants and Loans

Various types of support including research, pilot programs, and implementation (DOE Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy).

Mount Wachusett Community College

State Funding Various types of support including research, pilot programs, and implementation (Nebraska Energy Office Dollar and Energy Saving Loan program).

University of Buffalo

Community Partnerships

Leveraging the strengths of higher education as well as the public and private sector to create financial and environmentally beneficial partnerships (ECOmaha outlines various initiatives in Omaha, including the Comprehensive Energy Management Plan which has a direct impact on some of the emission reduction strategies identified for Creighton).

University of New Hampshire

Foundations and NGOs

There are many organizations committed to climate change mitigation in higher education (National Wildlife Federation Campus Ecology Program, Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education).

Colorado State University

Alumni and Corporate Donations

Specific alumni donation funds can be established to support the climate action plan or specific initiatives related to GHG mitigation and/or sustainability on campus.

University of New Hampshire

41 CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY CLIMATE ACTION PLAN 2012

APPENDIX A: ENERGY CONSERVATION MEASURESSimple calc for wedge diagram but show example calcs from walk-throughs (reference deferred maintenance docs) in appendixInclude EUI for each building (once get meter data) to help with prioritization)…Energy Star benchmarks for each building? -- Eppley (business school) is big energy user, why? - $350,000 budget allocated annually for energy efficiency and conservation enhancements - HVAC upgrades - Space Heater Replacement - Computer Power Management - Exhaust fans - Lighting

- Counts from Ken Juhl - Control Overrides/Motion Sensors (SAMPLE CALC for CRISS I: 4x4’3L fixtures per switch, 15-50fc, some only have two ballasts for three lamp fixture; - EXAMPLE CALC: 5x4’2L T8 on 24/7 (hallways); 12x4’2L T8 (ceiling sensor)) - Library Lighting Control (on 24/7) - Parking Lot LEDs (currently 175 - 1000W MH) - Student Center Ballroom Ballasts ($700/month cost) - Lights on in Equipment Rooms - Delamping and Daylighting (Classroom: 35-70fc, 15x4’4L T8)

- Hallway sensors (- No sensors; EXAMPLE CALC: 4x4’4L T8 in hallway on 24/7; - Timer system for lights but all on all day, would be interested in evaluating the cost of sensors compared to the cost savings. SAMPLE CALC: 4x4’3L fixtures per switch, 15-50fc, some only have two ballasts for three lamp fixture - Harper Lighting (always on)

- 12 years ago 98% of campus upgraded to T8s. Only buildings that still have T12s are Keller Plaza, Pitman, and County Building - Kitchen Energy Audit - DHW Recirculation Pumps - Vending Occupancy Sensors - Data Center Cooling Setpoints - Duct and Piping Insulation (Labaj exterior ductwork) - Compressor Efficiency Improvements (leaks in system) - Thin Clients to Replace Computers (UNO as example) - Multiple fountains on campus (Gallagher (10kgal water use per week), Church, Harper, Library) - Campus-wide setpoints: 74 cooling, 68 heating; shutdown during breaks-        Recommends look at envelope and fresh air heat exchange rather than renewable energy,        Doug Alvine and team will have assessed about 50% of campus square footage between residential study and current scope - include discussion about incorporation of UEMP - do an example for one building based on your walk-through, deferred maintenance, and any of Alvine’s work

CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY CLIMATE ACTION PLAN 2012 42

APPENDIX B: ENERGY USE INTENSITY BY BUILDING

43 CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY CLIMATE ACTION PLAN 2012

APPENDIX C: DEFINITIONS

CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY CLIMATE ACTION PLAN 2012 44